HOW TO TEST A BOAT LIKE THE PROS
by Ron Ballanti
You have found what
you believe is the boat of your dreams. It looks like it will meet your
needs perfectly, and it appears to be equipped with all the right features.
Now it’s time to move on to next crucial step – the boat
test. Testing out a boat should encompass more than taking your potential
“dream boat” for a spin around the harbor. You should look
her over with the critical eye of a professional boat tester. When testing
out your potential purchase, it’s also important to simulate as
closely as possible how you will use your boat. This will help determine
whether the boat you are considering is indeed the one for you.
Careful
Inspection
Sometimes it’s
hard to tell a top-quality boat from one that may have problems down
the road. To the untrained eye, both can look good on the surface. According
to Boating Magazine’s Technical Editor Lenny Rudow, the testing
process begins when you first examine a prospective new boat. “Inspect
the boat closely for tell-tale signs of poor craftsmanship and substandard
fit and finish,” said Rudow. “Make sure the deck and storage
area hatches line up straight and close tightly, and from to transom,
run your eye along the side of the hull forward to the bow. A quality
hull will have a smooth, even finish without “waves” or
the criss-cross fiberglass “matting” showing through the
gelcoat,” notes Rudow.
Look Within
Opening up all doors
and access plates can also give you insight to a boat’s construction
quality. “Stick your head into the anchor locker of any boat you
are considering buying,” said Rudow. “If they’ve cut
corners, you’ll usually see it there. Looking in the anchor locker
gives you a peek at the hull-to-deck joint,” he added. If you
see light coming through the hull-to-deck joint, or if the fiberglass
around the joint seems translucent, this indicates poor construction.
Another trick Rudow uses is to closely examine a boat’s rub rail.
If there are noticeable “waves,” this indicates that the
hull and deck didn’t line up perfectly when they were joined together.
Keeping
Things Real
Any boat being considered
for purchase should be put through a vigorous visual inspection. It’s
important, however, to conduct an equally vigorous on-the-water test.
A dealer or private party demonstrating a boat naturally wants to “stack
the deck” to ensure the boat performs well. This means a near-empty
gas tank, no extra passengers or gear, and keeping the boat in sheltered
waters. It’s up to you to insist on a more realistic test. Make
sure the fuel tank is at least half full, fill the bait tank with water
(which can add hundreds of pounds of weight), and pretend you’re
going out for a typical day out on the water. Also bring along the type
of equipment you would normally take with you.
“An important thing most people overlook is to bring rods, reels,
coolers, and other appropriate gear onboard when they test out a boat,”
said Rudow. “Invite some friends along too. This is the only way
to know how the boat will perform in real world conditions,” he
added. “If you have a hand-held GPS, take the unit with you to
help gauge acceleration and performance,” Rudow suggested. “Boat
speedometers are notoriously inaccurate.”
Make Sure
the Boat Fits
During the sea trial,
it’s important to determine whether the boat will meet all of
your specific needs and perform up to expectations. If you are an angler
that will be doing some offshore trolling, for instance, put out a spread
of trolling lures. Does the boat hold the right trolling speed, or do
you have to adjust the throttle constantly? Are the rod holders located
in the right position? By testing such thing out under “real life”
conditions, you will discover potential problems before you make a purchase.
“You might find some quirky things about the boat that you just
don’t like,” Rudow points out. “For example, you may
determine that a certain boat’s bow rail is much too high, preventing
comfortable fishing from the bow.”
How Does
She Ride?
Rudow also recommends
putting any prospective new boat through its paces in open water, cutting
through the water at all angles. “This is the only way to tell
how she really handles and how dry she rides,” said Rudow. If
you are testing a saltwater boat, Rudow recommends bringing along a
4-gallon bucket and throwing some water onboard. Any boat that will
be used offshore needs to shed water quickly through her scuppers. Some
boats can pool water in the bow and be slow to drain – a dangerous
condition in rough seas.
If a boat dealer
or salesperson balks at any of the requests mentioned above, find yourself
another dealer – or another boat. There are plenty of well-made
vessels available, at different price levels. Just be sure to check
things out thoroughly before making any decisions. Following these steps
should help you find a boat that will provide years of fun and quality
performance.
About the Author: Ron Ballanti is a veteran outdoor writer, boater
and angler. He also owns and operates Strike Zone Communications, a
marine public relations and marketing agency based in Northridge, California
(Phone: (818) 349-4608. Fax: (818) 709-5524. e-mail: strikezne@earthlink.net. |
